Amusement apparatus



Nov. 15, 1932. F. 1.. MARKEY ET AL AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed July 20, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l gwmzntom Fred L-Mar Jbsgbh R .5

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Nov. 15, 1932. F. 1... MARKEY T AL 1,888,005

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed July 20, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 15, 1932. F. L. MARKEY ET AL 1,888,005

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed July 20, 1931 5 fieets-Sheet I5 gwumtozd fled L.Marlie y, eJbsqiahRfiiwntom,

v 549 fully described, illustrated in the accompany- 9 dummy or target.

CHUSET.TS, ASSIGNORS T0 'DODGEM CORPORATION, or LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, V

Patented Nov. 15, 1932 IITUNITIED'"STATES PATENT ori ce 7 ram) 1.; MARKEY, or LAWRENCE, AND aosnrn a. STANTON, on N WBURYPQRTQMASSA- aconrom rlon or MASSACHUSETTS AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Application filed July 20,

This invention relates to amusement apparatus, and-more particularly to an animated featureof the apparatus shown in the United States patents to Stoehrer et al., No. 1,467,959, September 11, 1923, and No. 1,373,108, March 29,1921. 7

One. of the objects of the invention is to provide an amusement or game "apparatus including a plurality ofpropelled and dirigible cars .01- :vehicles arranged on a running or playing floor, together with a normally inert but movable orshiftable target device which may be struck by the cars to provide increased interest inthe use of the carsand materially add to the sport and pleasure in endeavoring to strikethe target by the skillful manipula-' tion of the cars. In that connection it is proposed to make the target include the efiigy of anindividual possessing novel features of appearance and construction so that when the target is struck, the arms, head and body may move to produce ludicrous gestures, and also a, noise making device will be operated to produceashriek, groan or other sound.

- Another object of the invention. is to pro- D vide a novel and practical form of target which may be safely used in connection with the vehicles-orcars so that the impact of the car with the target will not injure either the equipment or the occupant of the vehicle.

' A. furtherfobject' of the invention is to make the dummy target in such a waythat it will always tend to automatically right itself so that it willalways return to its original formal position after being struck.

' With the-above and'other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel features of; construction, combination and; arrangemcnt'of partsas will be hereinafter more defined in the appended Figure 2 is'an enlarged elevation of the 1931. Serial No. 552,030

Similar reference characters designatecor responding parts throughout the several fig.- ures of the drawings. i

' The present invention includes in its general organization an amusement apparatus havmg a running floor or surface A provided or support for p modified ,3:

with a metallic covering for constitutingone of the electrodes of. an-eleotric circuit which supplies current to the motor M of the occupant driven' dirigible cars B, the circuit through the motorbeing completed through the useof the overhead trolley device C which engages with. the electrically charged ceiling The cars B may be controlled by the operators so as to move freely over and about the fioor A in accordance withthe method and practice set forth in the patents aforesaid 6 whereby the cars may collide with each other, and also with the novel target device designated generallyas T. 7

The target device T is mounted so that it may be moved about the floor when struck by the vehicles B, and, therefore, will not continuously occupy any fixed position on the floor. When struck by one of the vehicles, it may be shifted into and against another vehicle and other vehicles in turn will have an opportunity, by dodging other cars or vehicles, to strike the target and send it in another direction. Heretofore, the chief sport in the manipulation of the cars B has been the feature of colliding with'another car, and also causing traffic jams which tax the skill-of the operator to untangle. However,with the use of thenovelshiftabletarget Tthe sport ing feature of the gameismaterially en-' hanced since it gives the driver of the vehicle an opportunity to strike the efligy or dummy 'withimpunity and yet with safety, which is an essential factor in all amusement apparatus of this type.

The cars B are equipped in accordance with the usual custom with the resilient bumpers B and the target T including the platform 1 is also provided with a suitable bumper 2 arranged in line with the bumpers of the car so that when the target is struck, the safety feature of the impact will be adequately provided for. mounted on a plurality of swivel casters 3 and the bumper 2 is arranged above a suitable depending skirt portion 4 which extends sufficiently close to the floor to act as a guide and also if the target when struck has a tendency to lift, thecars willnot be damaged or dented by striking the casters.

I One of the essential characteristics of the target is that it carries or supports a suitable effigy or dummy which will provide aludicrous and animated aspect under the impact of being struck or pushed and moved about. To that end, it is obvious that the particular style or dress of the dummy may vary within a wide limit. That is to say, the efligy may assume the style and dress of a policeman, a jaywalker, a comic negro,.or other popular characteristics which render. it distinctly novel.

I In the efligy or dummy shown by way-of illustration, the same includes the platform 1 previously referred to having mounted thereon a stand or support which may consist of the spaced posts 5, or their equivalent, se-

cured at their lower ends to the platform while their upper ends are" provided with a suitable base or table 6 on which the torso of the. dummy may rest; This torso may be mounted on the base through the medium of various instrumentalities so that it will bend orgive the appearance of the efiigy moving at the waist or hip line. Y

Referring first to Figures 2 and 3, it will be observed that the torso or costume supporting .part of the dummy includes a suitable upper part 7 having a head 8 and provided at its-lower end with a flexible connection with the table or support 6. The head 8 may be rigid or movable with reference to the torso as shown in Figures 4 and 8. In the example. of Figures 2 and 3 the said flexible connection between the torso and the plate consists of the plate 9 aflixed to the part 7 by the bracket-s01 straps 9a and a coil spring 10 arranged between the plate 9 and the table or base 6. A suitable turn buckle connection 11, having its ends'alnchored in the plate 9 and table 6, is provided for the purpose of compressing and tensioning the spring 10.

-' With this arrangement, when the target is struck the upper part of the dummy will rock or swing, but, due to the tension of the spring 10, will return to its normal erect pos1t1on when the target is at rest. The'upper part 7 of the torso may be provided at the The platform 1 is preferably location of the arm pits with brackets or an choring members 12 which provide a support for arm members 13 in such a way that the arms may freely swing or move.

The skeleton or framework of the dummy may be provided with suitable garments or costumes for covering the posts or uprights 55 and the entire torso of the dummy. That is to say, if the efligy is that of a man,'the same may be provided with a coat and trousers of the style and cut to simulate the character of the individual represented by the dummy. Also, the dummy may be provided the table 6. According tofthis embodiment of the invention, the lower rounded part of thetorso is provided with an opening 16 to receive thelinks 17 and 1.8 which cooperate with washers 19 and 19a, to compress a coil spring 20 to yieldingly holdthe torso 14: against the surface of the table 6. With this arrangement, it will also be apparent that the upper part of the body of the: dummy will move or swing when the platform 'on whichthe dummy is mountedis struck.

, If desired, the stand or support for the torso of the dummy may also be made nonrigid as illustrated by Figures 5 and 6. According to the illustration of Figure 5, the uprights ofthe stand consist of the two-part posts 5a whose meeting ends are surrounded or embraced by a coil spring 21. The upper ends of the two-part posts 5a carry the table or base 6a while the lower ends are secured as at 22 to the base or platform 1a. -In Figure 6, the feature of effecting movement of the stand or support is provided for by mounting the base or table 6?; onwhich the torso is to be placed, directly on the coil springs 23 whose lower ends are carried by the one piece posts 5?); These posts are fixed to the platform 1?) many suitablemanner.

The foregoing description illustrates the wide range of:adaptability of the construction of the dummy or target, and it will, of course, be understood that it is within the scope of the invention to so construct the dummy or efiigy that movement of any part thereof may be effected when the target is struck by one of the propelled cars or vehicles under'the guidance of its operator.

Another distinctive feature of'the invention residesm providing the dummy or effigy drawings illustrate examples-of these noise making devices, which may be located at various parts of the dummy or target to give simultaneous or delayed sounds, and sounds of different note or pitch. To that end the platform 1 of the target may be provided with a suitable wind-operated noise making device 24 which is connected by means of the pipe 25 with the hollow or tubular bumper 2. When the bump-er is struck by one of the vehicles the air of the hollow bumper 2 will be displaced to operate the whistle or other clevice 24. Another type of noise maker is illustrated at 26. This device may be a horn of the well known resonant diaphragm type which is carried by the under side of the base or table 6 and is ope-rated by a suitable connection 27 connected as at 28 to the movable or swinging plate 9 of the torso construction. As the torso of the body swings or moves, this connection 27 will operate thediaphragm of the device 26 to produce a raucous sound or groan. As long as the torso of the dummy continues to swing, the sound may be prolonged.

Accordingly, it will be apparent that suitable noise making devices may be providedon either a. stationary or movable part of the target, or in other words, they may be either fixed as in the case of the device 25, or may be mounted on a fixed part as in the case of the device 26 and operated by a moving or swinging part of the dumm The distinctive feature of the present invention is the provision of a movable target which is normally inert so far as its various parts are concerned and its location on the playing floor. In that connection, however,

it is pointed out that the dummy or target as a whole is movable or shiftable under 1m pact furnished by one of the propelled vehicles on the playing floor, and likewise the various parts of the dummy or efiigy may be set in motion by the impact.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

We claim: I

1. In an amusement apparatus, the combi nation with a playing floor and occupant steered propelled vehicles movable on said floor, of a target including an animated figure adapted when struck by one of said vehicles to produce fantastic gyrations. V

2. In an amusement apparatus, the combination with a playing floor and occupant steered propelled vehicles movable on said floor, of a target adaptedv to be struck by said vehicles and having means for causing its self-erectionafter receivingimpact from saidvehicles. 3. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a dirigible car and a shiftable target device adapted to be'struck by the'car,

said targetdevice including an animated fig- 1 4. Inan amusement apparatus, the combination of a dirigible car and a target, said target including an effigy mounted on a base provided with rollers,- and adapted to be struck by the car.

' 5. In an amusement apparatus, the com- 1 when-thesaid target is shifted or moved underimpact of said vehicles. I

'7. In a game'apparatus ofthe class de-' scribed, an uncontrolled shiftable animated target comprising a platform, travelers for supporting the platform and an efligy framework carried by the' platform, said framework comprising a pair of uprights mounted on the platform, a base carried by the uprights, a torso simulating part, and means for connecting said torso simulating part with the base whereby the said torso simulating part may move with reference to the U base and tend to normally right itself.

8. In a game apparatus of the class described, an uncontrolled shiftable animated target comprising a platform, .travelers for supporting the platform and an efiigy frame work carried by the platform, said framework comprising. a pair of uprights joined by resilient connections, a base carried by the uprights, and means carried by the base providing a support for a costume or garment.

9 In a game apparatus of the class described, an uncontrolled shiftable animated target comprising a platform, travelers for supporting the platform and an effigy framework carried by the platform, said framework compr sing a pair of uprights mounted on the platform, a base, a resilient connection between the base and the uprights, and means carried by the base providing-a support for is a costume or garment. r

10. In a game apparatus of the class described, an uncontrolled shiftable animated target comprising a platform, travelers for supporting the platform, and'an effigy framej work carried by the platform, said framework comprising a stand, a base mounted on the stand, a torso including a plate, a spring mounted between the plate and the base, and means for tensioning said spring.

11. In a game apparatus of the class de scribed, a target comprising .a platform, travelers for supporting the platform; and an eifigy framework carried by the plat form, said framework comprising a stand, a basemounted at the upper part of the stand, a torso simulating part having a'rounded bottom portion resting on the base, and a spring for connecting the torso simulating part and the basewhereby the former may have a rocking or swinging movementwith reference to the latter.

k 12. In a game apparatus of the class described, an uncontrolled shiftable animated target comprising platform, travelers for supporting the platform, and a'noise making device carried by the platform andadapted to be sounded when the target is struck. 18. An amusement apparatus including 90 a running floor and a plurality of propelled steerable vehicles on said floor and an unpropelled non-steerable target, said target comprising a base freely movable over and on said floor in any direction and having im-' pact means adapted to be struck by said steerable vehicles, and an eiiigy mounted on thebase.- v p In testimony whereof they hereunto'afiix their signatures. FRED L. MARKEY.

' JOSEPH R. STANTON. 

